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"Joshua C. Lerner" <jlerner@panix.com> writes:
<snip/>
> > Agreed. It's alot easier for someone to make a living of selling drugs,
> > or prostituting themseleves, than it is for someone to make a living
> > of doing good for the community.
>
> Come now. There are many ways to do "good for the community". Not all involve
> working for non-profits, which I assume is what you mean.
No. There is a LARGE section of the OSS community that really helps change the
world but there isn't a dime to be made working in it.
Privacy enabled systems. Unless you can really sell it there is no money to be
made here.
It is a shame society shoots itself in the foot here.
This is why I really think we need a micropayment system here. I have been
thinking about this a lot lately. I am going to post my thoughts here when
they settle down.
> > That's one of the things I hate about
> > Capitalism. It's designed around the dollar, not around progress, or
> > freedom.
>
> Yes, capitalism is oriented around corporations trying to maximize profit.
> Individuals too are generally interested in maximizing income.
We are? Perhaps unenlightened individuals. I don't give a damn about money.
I just want enough so that I can take my girlfriend out to dinner :)
I just want to work on cool technology that helps people.
Unfortunately the people don't seem to show their appreciation :)
> However, the capitalism economic system does depend on the freedom of
> businesses and individuals to act as they see fit, within the confines of the
> law.
Really? What about when the companies change the law? DMCA is one good
example.
Also, what about when the law doesn't do anything about companies that break it?
AKA Microsoft :)
> The paradox of capitalism, IMHO, is that the needs of society as a whole are
> best met when businesses and individuals act in their own best
> self-interest. Others have explained why better than I ever could.
This is one scenario. It is far from 100% though. Companies screw over society
all the time though. We need a balanced system...
Kevin
- --
Kevin A. Burton ( burton@apache.org, burton@openprivacy.org, burtonator@acm.org )
Location - San Francisco, CA, Cell - 415.595.9965
Jabber - burtonator@jabber.org, Web - http://relativity.yi.org/
...the biggest breakthrough in biotechnology since the breakthrough it fixes.
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